Tag Archives: pink and navy

I love to entertain. Whether it’s a casual picnic on the beach, or a formal dinner party – I enjoy nothing more than sharing delicious food and tasty drinks with friends. As a Designer, it’s second nature to add whimsical touches to my soirees. One of my favorite ways to spice up a party is to put together my tabletop using design elements in unique ways – urns as vases, lamps ON the table and special finds as centerpieces. Here are few photos that have inspired me!

This color combination is so classic! The blue and white stripes provide a crisp nautical feel while the touches of pink soften the look. I love the blue and white vases, and the concept of taking a collection you would typically see indoors on bookshelves and showcasing the pieces on the center of the table.

Bringing a substantial furniture piece outside can set the stage for your outdoor soiree. Add lamps, and your guests will feel right at home!

The lamps and bold pillows add a whimsical touch to this table.

This tabletop shows how ‘simple’ can be oh so sophisticated. Planning a scheme around one color (or white!), and then adding a pop of color with beautiful flowers is a great way to make the (sometimes overwhelming) task of setting a beautiful table easy.

The setting is the star! The subtle grey and mercury glass touches, along with the airy white sheers, play up the weathered wood docks and turn this casual space into an elegant setting.

I can’t help but to take home MANY of the wonderful tabletop treasures which come into the J Banks Retail Store on a regular basis! A few of my favorites which add whimsy and charm to my parties are:

My Dransfield & Ross crab, gator, flamingo and fish napkin rings are always a conversation starter and they look fun on a formal table. On my list (of one million items) of things to purchase from J Banks, are these great wavy dinner napkins, also from Dransfield. I think everything that Dransfield & Ross comes out with for tabletop is so much fun!

These are my favorite cocktail napkins. The custom monograms by Julia B look like antiques! (But the initials are mine AND pink!)

These bud vases are also placecard holders! I recently used them at a 5 year old birthday party – perfect for little ladies and women alike!

In the summertime, these acrylic wine glasses are key to all of my outdoor entertaining.

This book makes concocting your signature cocktail a breeze!

Summer is one of my favorite times to entertain, and with so many delicious finds from my garden and the local farmer’s market, the menu is always easy to plan! Here’s a little inspiration for you in the form of my favorite summer recipes…

This grape bruschetta is a nice change from the traditional tomatoes and basil version, and is served cold. This recipe is refreshing with a pop of heat!

Directions:

Wrap outside of a 3 1/2-cup souffle mold or four 6-ounce ramekins with parchment, extending 2 to 3 inches above rim (it should fit snugly). Secure with tape; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, whisk together granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, egg yolks, and salt over medium-high. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and small bubbles form around edge of pan, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Immediately remove from heat while continuing to whisk. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, pressing on lemon curd with a rubber spatula.

Place plastic wrap directly against surface of curd and refrigerate until cool, about 30 minutes (or up to overnight).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form, 2 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into cooled lemon curd. In the same large bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into lemon curd mixture. Pour into mold and freeze until firm, 6 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, remove parchment, top with raspberries and dust with Confectioner’s sugar.

I hope that you have been inspired and, will have fun setting your table!